


Healing Wounds

by rokalatte



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: 5+1 Things, Angst, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, let Isa have friends besides Lea, post kh3
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-19
Packaged: 2019-11-12 18:33:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18016154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rokalatte/pseuds/rokalatte
Summary: If you tell yourself something enough then one day, surely, you'll believe it.Right?(Five times Isa insists his scar is a thing of the past and one time he doesn't.)





	1. Ventus

**Author's Note:**

> I've wanted to try writing a 5+1 fic for a while and this one kept lingering in the back of my head after all the reunions in KH3. Let Isa be vulnerable and have people that care about him.

Isa sits on a ledge overlooking the town’s square. It’s a rare moment of silence and calm since his return. He’d been swept up in a flurry of emotions and Lea and being fussed over and Lea and a slew of awkward but necessary conversations. And Lea and everything that comes with that.

A gentle breeze carrying the scent of flowers blows through his hair, bringing with it memories of days so long ago that feel more like they are from a different lifetime than simply years ago. In all fairness, calling it a lifetime ago wouldn’t be far from the truth.

He hears his name in a familiar voice but unfamiliar tone. Isa glances over his shoulder as the footsteps approach and gives a small nod, gesturing to the empty space next to him before looking out to the vacant square below again.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Ventus takes a seat next to Isa, scratching the back of his head nervously. Ever since he was woken up, he’s had a slight paranoia about sleeping, or rather, oversleeping.

Isa shakes his head slightly, “I haven’t been here long. I was just reminiscing.” Beside him, Ven settles and looks at Isa.

“Did I disturb you?” Ven asks.

“No,” Isa replies. He looks out to the square and the slow waking of the city. “It’s just been a long time since I’ve had the chance to do this.”

Ven nods in understanding. “Yeah. Me too.”

They settle into a comfortable silence for a while before Isa catches Ven staring at him for the second time. “Is there something on my face?” The second he says the words he didn’t think through before saying he understands and the startled and pained flinch from Ven confirms it.

“N-no! I mean, well-” Ven stutters and bows apologetically. “I just…” He looks at Isa, who’s looking at him now and focuses on the scar across his temple. “I was thinking about when I met you and Lea back then and, you uh, didn’t have the scar.” Ven admits guiltily, “I thought about asking you but it seemed insensitive. I guess you caught me anyways.”

Isa looks at the boy in front of him who doesn’t look a day older than when he’d met him nearly a decade ago. Him on the other hand… well. It’s been over ten years. Of course, he’s grown. Of course he’s changed. And of course it’s hard not to be curious about the scar on his face. “It happened a long time ago. Right after Lea and I joined the Organization.”

Ven nods, noticing that Isa was choosing his words carefully to dance around the topic. A small part of him wants to know the story, especially with how reserved Isa was being. It can’t be a pleasant memory and he wonders if Isa’s talked to anyone about it. But a kid you met once, for barely half an hour, more than ten years ago probably isn’t the best person to be suggesting that.

So instead he asks, “does it hurt?” His voice is filled with concern. He almost regrets it when he sees the slightest flicker of _something_ in Isa’s eyes. It’s gone in a second though and Isa smiles softly.

“It was a long time ago.” Isa says again, ruffling Ven’s hair.

Ven lets out a sigh of relief and smiles warmly. It doesn’t go unnoticed that Isa never answered his question. Maybe he’ll ask him again another day, when the wounds of the past aren’t so fresh in their minds. For now, the momentary peace and reclaiming of easier times is more important. “Speaking of a long time, where’s Lea?” Ven looks around the square, the red-head nowhere in sight. They’d agreed to hang out today, just them. It’s been far too long.

Isa sighs and smirks a little beside him. “He probably got distracted by something. He’s always picking up strays. He never grew out of that.” The way he speaks about when they were Lea and Isa and their past is always warm.

Ven chuckles and they end up talking about Lea and Isa’s misadventures from their adolescence. It’s refreshing to hear the stories. From as far back as his memories stretch, he can only remember the fall or the beginning of the fall and he wonders if there was ever a time, farther back in the haze of his lost memories where he had such friends or experiences such innocence.

.

“Isa! Ven!” The two of them nearly fall off the ledge when Lea throws himself around their shoulders suddenly. Isa scowls slightly but Ven can tell there isn’t much bite behind it. Somehow, they all manage to stay on the ledge, even with Lea draped around them. “Look what I brought!” With the expression of an excited puppy, Lea pulls out three bars of ice-cream and hands one to both Isa and Ven.

Ven thanks Lea for the ice-cream before scooting over to make room for Lea to settle in, staring in wonderment at the pale blue treat. Isa on the other hand, stares at the ice-cream with an unreadable expression. It’s something of a mixture between bewilderment and disgust as he slowly turns to Lea.

“Lea, it’s nine in the morning.”

“Yeah, so?” Lea takes a bite out of his ice-cream and ruffles Ven’s hair as he grimaces from brain freeze. Lea smiles, “it’s never too early for ice-cream.” Isa lets out a resigned sigh but takes a small bite all the same. “So what were you guys talking about? Didn’t even notice me coming.”

Isa and Ven share a look and Lea looks curiously between the two. Eventually it’s Ven that answers him. “We were talking about how cute you were as a kid.” Lea nearly drops his ice-cream.

 

They spend the next few moments sitting on the ledge overlooking the town and for a brief moment, Isa can imagine them back in the days before Radiant Garden fell. Of him and Lea and their new friend Ventus eating ice-cream on the ledge like the innocent teens they were and could have been. He thinks of Ven’s question, ‘ _does it hurt?’_ and the scar throbs once. He feels bad about dodging Ven’s question but he’s not quite ready to open that floodgate yet. But he knows that Ven doesn’t have a malicious atom in him and in a way, the way he lights up the space around him reminds him a little of Lea. Perhaps one day he’ll confide in Ven and the thought fills his heart with warmth he thought he didn’t have space for and the dull ache in his temple subsides into nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally going to be a one shot but it just ended up getting too long so I decided to split it into chapters. Also Ven is the sweetest purest ball of sunshine and goodness and Isa needs that in his life.
> 
> Next chapter: Ienzo


	2. Ienzo

“It’s not the wound itself.”

Isa is swinging his legs off the examination table when Ienzo blurts those words out of the blue.

“What?”

He’s been spending half his time between his new home in Twilight Town and his old home of Radiant Garden. It wasn’t totally on him that Radiant Garden fell to darkness, but he didn’t do anything to prevent it from happening either. They were freshly apprentices, they didn’t have that much sway in what happened. They just went along with it for the sake of information. But now that’s he’s back and, for at least the moment, the worlds are at peace and he feels he owes it to his younger self to help with the restoration of his former home. Between that, regular examinations by the scientists and helping them with the occasional errand, he’d say he has a tolerable if not amicable relationship with the residents of Radiant Garden now.

That’s not to say the statement doesn’t catch him off guard. He’s friendly with Ienzo, daresay can even call them acquaintances bordering on friends. At first it was hard to reconcile the current Ienzo with the boy of few but intelligent words the first time he was Isa, with the cold and calculating Zexion when he was Saix, with the warm talkative Ienzo before him now. But with all that he’s done for them since his heart’s return, it was hard not to accept him. Talkativeness aside but he’s used to that from prolonged exposure to Lea so it doesn’t really bother him. Plus the things Ienzo has to say are usually quite interesting if not technical at times.

But the words this time bring a furrow to his brows as he slides his jacket back on. Isa presses again when Ienzo doesn’t respond. “What do you mean?”

Ienzo puts some papers down and looks Isa in the eyes. “It’s not the scar or the injury that produced it causing you pain. The physical wound has healed, and it was something your Nobody experienced so while the scarring remains, the injury itself can’t cause physical pain anymore.”

A brief look of surprise and wary must have crossed his face because suddenly Ienzo is shuffling on his feet and waving his hands. “I didn’t mean to overstep. It’s just that I’ve noticed you spacing out and wincing on occasion.” Ienzo explains, “and since I’ve done your check-ups as of late, I know you’re in good health and condition so it was the only thing I could think of to explain it.”

Just as Isa manages to shake the surprise from his face, it comes back. He considers himself decently good at concealing his worries and keeping things he didn’t want others to notice underneath the surface. Apparently he was wrong but he tries anyways.

“It’s nothing. It doesn’t bother me as much as you seem to think.” Isa tries to brush aside the topic as quickly as possible. He doesn’t want to have this talk, not now at least. But Ienzo, who grew up in the Organization without his heart, is a little lacking in the field of social graces and noticing cues to back off an undesired conversation.

Ienzo’s face is nothing but concern and worry in Isa’s eyes. “That’s not how it looks to me…” Ienzo pauses for a moment, breaking eye contact with Isa, unable to meet his gaze.

There it is.

In the short time Isa’s known the youngest scientist, he’s caught on to a few of his emotional ticks. This one in particular is one that denotes disappointment, in himself, and guilt. Isa dreads the words he knows are coming but he waits for them despite wanting to end the conversation before it starts.

“I remember,” Ienzo says, voice quiet and uneven. “I was still young but I remember when it happened.”

And the dam breaks.

For both of them.

Images flash before Isa’s eyes – memories of stark white walls, of Xemnas standing before him, of his own voice consenting to his fate and a wicked smile before the world turns red and a wretched scream reverberates in his ears. Isa doesn’t realize he’s closed his eyes until he hears a shuffle of fabric and opens his them in time to see Ienzo’s legs give out.

Isa catches him by the arm reflexively before he can crumple to the floor noticing not for the first time just how _small_ he is.  

With how intelligent Ienzo is, it’s easy to forget that Ienzo is quite a bit younger than him. It’s easy to forget that Ienzo, as a child, witnessed the atrocious experiments carried out in the castle underground, was hardly a teenager when he was deceived and manipulated into casting away his heart, was barely any older when he became and embodied the Nobody, Zexion. But looking at the tremble of his shoulders, Isa is reminded that nothing about what happened to Ienzo was _fair._

Because despite everything that happened and all the evil they did, they had willingly made their choices and faced the consequences. But Ienzo never had the choice and there’s guilt in his heart for not realizing that sooner.

“It wasn’t your fault.” He says, and he means it. “It was my choice.” And it was. He might not have known exactly what was to happen that day, when he was summoned by Xemnas and agreed to serve and prove his loyalty and by the time he did it was too late to back out, but that was a decision he made knowing what was at stake. He’s not even certain that he would’ve backed out even if he did know. So he’s not lying when he tries to reassure the younger man crying without tears in his arms.

There’s a stretch of silence with Isa patting Ienzo’s back. He’s not great at offering comfort but he’s seen Lea do it with the kids so he figures this is as good as he can provide for the time being. It’s a little awkward since Ienzo is reacting like so on his behalf, even though Isa is the one feeling like the scar is searing into his skin a second time but somehow, their current position seems to offset the phantom pain.

It seems to help Ienzo too from the way he stops shaking even though he still can’t bring himself to look at Isa.

“It should have been me.” It’s a whisper that’s barely audible and Isa almost misses it if Ienzo hadn’t continued, even quieter than before.

_“I’m sorry.”_

It strikes him deep in his heart and it hurts. Enough that he forgets the ache elsewhere and sinks into the feeling because he’s realized that for wounds to heal, they need to accept the pain first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended up being more about Ienzo than Isa... oops ;; Sometimes I really do forget just how young Ienzo/Zexion was when the Organization was founded. I think him and Isa would be good friends now. 
> 
> Next chapter: Xion


	3. Xion

The concept of lazy Saturdays was such a strange thing to them at first. For starters, the word ‘lazy’ and the notion of ‘weekends’ didn’t exist in the Organization, Demyx aside, of course, whose entire dictionary was filled with such things. But even after leaving that behind, they’d spent weeks bordering on months just relaxing and living and taking in all the things they weren’t permitted to have and experience in their previous lives. Travelling and playing around and eating ice-cream whenever and where ever and just enjoying in the general company of each after so long. It was such a departure from what they had grown to accept as the norm that they’d forgotten the little joys in life.

Eventually though, reality began settling in and they actually had to decide what they wanted to do with the rest of their lives and where they wanted to settle. The lot of them couldn’t couch surf forever and lazy about doing nothing. Especially with the pieces of the aftermath left to pick up and loose ends to tie up.

Xion and Roxas had their hearts set on calling Twilight Town home and Lea was of the same opinion. Radiant Garden, although it held some of his earliest and dearest memories, just didn’t feel like _home_ anymore. Meanwhile, Isa decided that he’d split his time between the two worlds. He liked their little home in Twilight Town but something about Radiant Garden still called out to him and he couldn’t quite detach himself from it just yet. Lea and the kids protested at first because it meant that they wouldn’t get to see Isa much and that it would be too tiring for Isa to world hop so much but Isa insisted and everyone conceded in the end.

They came to an agreement that while Roxas and Xion were in school during the week, Isa would be in Radiant Garden and would come back to Twilight Town Thursday nights to spend the rest of the week with them unless he was needed back at the castle for pressing matters. Weekends were usually spent one of three ways – lazing about and taking it easy, racing around town for whatever crazy thing the kids and Lea wanted to try, or hopping to another world for an extended adventure or to visit old friends.

They’ve settled into this comfortable routine for a few months now. While today fitted into the ‘lazy weekend’ category, it was a little bit out of the norm. Roxas had dragged Lea off somewhere bright and early while Xion and him were still asleep, leaving behind a hastily scrawled note on the table and no other explanation. Xion and Isa had stood around it with matching quizzical expressions before giving each other a look and sighing before chuckling and getting on with their lazy afternoon.

They’d be sure to ask the boys about their day when they got back.

 

Isa decided on spending the day doing some light reading, sitting on a kitchen chair flipping through the latest of Ienzo’s recommendations.

While Xion…

While Xion played with his hair and twisted it this way and that into various successful and unsuccessful hairdos.  

Clips and pins and ties were strewn across the dining table as she twisted Isa’s hair into her newest spark of inspiration. Apparently Kairi and Naminé had clued her in to the joys of braiding and playing with long hair and she had a new found desire to try out as many of them as she could. Xion herself had kept her hair short and while Lea’s was long, it was wildly untameable no matter how much she tried to comb it into anything other than the usual mess of spikes. She’d been nervous to ask Isa because as much as they settled into each other’s presence, he was still hard to read and she wasn’t so sure that he’d agree to it. And Isa was hesitant to give his permission with the way he could see Roxas and Lea snickering in his peripheral vision. But it was well worth it to see the look of sheer elation on Xion’s face when he agreed and offered himself up to her new hobby.

“What do you think?” Xion pops in front of him holding a mirror. She’s clearly proud of this one from the way her eyes sparkle while she waits for his verdict.

To his inner horror, he finds that Xion has twisted his bangs into a messy braid that runs along his hairline. She’d left the longer pieces on the sides alone but the rest of his long hair has been pulled into a high messy bun with far too many flowers pins poking out.

“Well?” He can’t bring himself to burst her bubble when her voice is light and expectant but he doesn’t want to lie to her either.

“It’s… different.”

Apparently that’s the best he can come up with in the appropriate time span. Apparently, it’s also the wrong response because her face falls and he feels like he’s just kicked a puppy.

“You don’t like it,” she says sadly. “I really thought I had it this time.” She’s shuffling and looking down at her feet in disappointment and Roxas would have his head if he walked through the door now.

Isa lets out a breath and looks in the mirror again, holding it at different angles before setting it down. “I like the back.” She looks up immediately, expression bright once more. “If you let me keep my usual bangs, the rest can stay. The flowers too.” Those are clearly her favourite part of the updo from the way he absently noted her carefully placing each one while he was reading. “Although it is a bit… excessive. It looks like an entire bouquet is sticking out of there. Maybe if you just stick to one or so pins?”  

“Deal!” Xion throws her arms around him in joy and Isa is stunned for a moment at the suddenness of it. He still hasn’t quite gotten used to the sporadic outburst of affection.

Xion immediate sets to work pulling apart the braid and picking pins out the bun without ruining it before she gives up entirely and pulls the whole thing out to redo it from scratch.

Isa leans back and tilts his head while Xion brushes out his hair, reading forgotten as he finds comfort in her small hands combing softly through his hair. “Thanks again, Isa.” She giggles as she gentle picks out a stray knot. She finishes brushing out the back and moves to smooth out his bangs and put them back where they were before she got to them.

As she gathers up the pieces, her fingers brush unintentionally against uneven skin on Isa’s forehead. Isa freezes entirely under her touch, body going rigid and tense and she flinches back, drawing her hand away as if she’d just burned him. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to-!” A flurry of flustered apologies spring from Xion and Isa kicks himself a little for reacting that way. He hadn’t meant to, it just sort of… happened.

She’s still rambling apologies when Isa stops her by relaxing again and encouraging her to continue with his hair. “It’s okay. I’m sorry too. It’s not a big deal, I shouldn’t have reacted like that.” Xion hesitantly resumes her work, clearly more cautious and careful than before.

An uncomfortable silence settles over the two and Xion is pulling the last strands of the bun into place when she breaks the silence in a quiet uncertain whisper. “Did it hurt?”

Isa’s not sure whether she means back when he got the scar or when she brushed against it earlier. He ponders over his response for a moment before settling on “not anymore.”

She’s finished with his hair now and starts gathering up her tools. He can tell she’s hesitating to say something but doesn’t push her on it. Everything is placed back neatly in the basket by the time she decides to go for it. “Are you sure?”

Isa turns around to face her, looks her right in the eye and lies. “Yeah.”

Something about Xion’s expression says that she doesn’t quite believe him but she nods anyways and hugs him again. He sees it coming this time.

When she lets go, he catches a glimpse of the basket when she moves to put it away. “Xion.” She freezes where she stands. “You forgot to put in some flowers.” He tilts his head to the side and Xion looks at him with confusion on her face before making a silent ‘oh’ and practically skips back. Isa notes with interest when she decides on a pin with flowers resembling yellow begonias to weave into his hair and a small smile graces his face.

 

_Later, when the two go out shopping for dinner ingredients, Isa wears his new hairdo around town and smiles when he sees how proud Xion is whenever he gets complimented._

_Later, when Roxas and Lea come home and see Isa’s hair, they burst out in laughter and Isa silences them with a glare and proudly keeps it in for the rest of the night while Xion ambushes them with flower pins of their own._

_Later, when Isa is reluctantly ready to take his hair out for the night, Xion asks him for a picture to keep the memory and he lets her and asks if she can do his hair again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Xion playing Isa's hair is just too precious an image to leave alone. Also, yellow begonias symbolize happiness and wishing that for whomever you give them to which is why Isa smiles when Xion picks out that particular flower pin. 
> 
> Next chapter: Roxas


End file.
